Analyzing Shifts in International Conflict from Quality of Life Indicators

Abstract

Selected quality of life indicators are linked to international conflict in the study. The primary analytic tool used is discriminant function analysis. Increased conflict appears to be linked to general government revenue increases, but expenditure decreases, along with decline and stagnation in certain measures of quality of life as indicated by such variables as infant mortality, calorie consumption, GNP growth rates and private consumption. It appears that management problems at home may lead to conflict abroad. If the finding has causal implications, efforts to assist states in areas such as agriculture, infant mortality, private consumption, etc., might help reduce conflict proneness in the international system Replication of these findings upon other data and other time periods, of course, would help strengthen this line of argument. In addition to what was found, it is interesting to note what was not found; that is, many variables which, from a theoretical perspective, could be expected to be linked to conflict were not. These included: defense expenditures/GNP, educational expenditures/GNP, military manpower, military manpower/working population, political rights, civil rights and political discrimination.